State Capacity (Senior) Manager, India

State Capacity (Senior) Manager, India

Location: Delhi, India

About IDinsight

We amplifiy social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organisation that helps global development leaders maximise their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans various sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We are a team of economists, statisticians, data scientists and data engineers as well as data collection experts. Our goal as an organisation is to make sure that data and evidence are used for making decisions -- this is why we invest a lot of time and energy in understanding the institutional constraints within which our partners operate and what decisions they need to take, so that we can focus on generating only that data which is truly needed to help inform decisions.
IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organisational culture, regardless of peopleʼs age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Our diverse, growing team of roughly 200 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide. Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.

About our goverance portfolio in India

In India, we have worked with several union and state government organisations over the past 13 years. We have worked with NITI Aayog on the Aspirational Districts Program as well as the National Data and Analytics Platform, and we are currently the M&E partner for Mission Karmayogi, working closely with both the Capacity Building Commission as well as Karmayogi Bharat. We also have active engagements with the Planning Departments in different states. In Telangana, we conducted the annual KPI survey for the government, as part of which we have built a representative panel for 50,000 households and are using that panel to collect data on health, nutrition and learning outcomes. In Uttar Pradesh, we are supporting the Planning Department to generate high-frequency estimates of economic activity as well as supporting capacity building efforts in the department. In our previous engagements, we have supported state governments in Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Delhi, and Meghalaya in similar ways. Our work is typically funded by philanthropic organisations such as the Gates Foundation, CIFF, MSDF, Co-Impact and the Veddis Foundation.

About the State Capacity (Senior) Manager Position

We are looking for a candidate with a proven track record of working with Indian governments at both the state and central levels. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in public policy, governance reforms, and stakeholder relationship management. They should be capable of leading teams to achieve project goals while ensuring collaboration with senior government officials. This role requires the candidate to be based in Delhi, with frequent travel to other locations within India to engage with government stakeholders, act as a trusted advisor to senior government leaders, and oversee the successful execution of the project.

Key responbilities:

Client relationships and development:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for government officials across a range of seniority, building and maintaining strong, trust-based relationships.
• Serve as one of multiple points of contact for the funder and partner organizations within a consortium, enabling collaboration across partners and helping shape the strategy and direction of the consortium.
• Update clients regularly on project progress, key outcomes, and insights to ensure alignment with their goals and expectations.
• Lead meetings with government officials, facilitate high-level discussions, and build relationships.
• Build the capacity of key government institutions to ensure sustainability of our work.
• As opportunities arise, contribute to developing new partnerships for our state capacity and other portfolios
  

Strategic advisory and technical expertise:

• Provide advisory support to government departments and the funder on governance reforms, policy development and implementation, data-driven decision-making, and institutional strengthening.
• Develop a deep and nuanced understanding of how data and evidence tools can be used to help answer the clients’ questions.
• Collaborate with internal teams to review and refine project deliverables, ensuring the highest quality of work and alignment with client objectives.
• Represent the organisation in high-level meetings, workshops, and conferences related to governance topics
  
  

Team and project management:

• Manage timelines, quality control, and risk mitigation within the context of project constraints to ensure effective project execution.
• Responsible for providing mentorship and guidance to all team members, especially Associates, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Lead project budget design and management, and all funder compliances for the project.
  

Qualifications:

• Masters degree, preferably in public policy, economics, public administration, business
• 4-8 years of relevant work experience, including experience in similar settings as IDinsight and working with Indian government departments.
• Ability to navigate complex government structures and build trusted relationships with senior officials
• Outstanding interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills
• Strong quantitative and critical thinking skills
• Deep passion to improve lives around the world
• Self-starter who will thrive in a start-up setting by taking ownership and initiative
• Intellectual curiosity and sense of humor

Professional Development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy and have been noted highlights of teammatesʼ experiences. Team members receive mentorship from leadership, support from talented peers, and considerable autonomy when ready. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture, and a formal structure enables maximum professional growth.

Nuts and Bolts:

Location

Delhi, with frequent travel to other locations within India.

Start date

There is a preference for candidates who can start immediately.

Compensation & benefits

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive international health insurance with mental health coverage, paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave, relocation benefits, a travel stipend, technology and work-from-home stipends, a professional development budget, and more.

How to apply

Please click the "Apply for this job online" button at the top right. The last date to submit applications is June 21, 2026. The application asks various questions in order for us to get to know you and requires a CV. Please note that we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis.

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience as well as details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note that headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status, and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV.

If you’ve previously applied to an IDinsight Manager role, we encourage you to reapply only if you’ve gained additional relevant experience to strengthen your application since your previous application. More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any questions should be directed to [email protected].

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work.

We seek a diverse workforce that inherently embodies our commitment to fostering inclusivity. This also helps us refine and improve our methods and relationships and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and the clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.